Dwarf racing stunt slammed in Australia
27 October 09

An angry Racing Minister Rob Hulls, from Victoria, Australia, has slammed Victoria Racing for staging a dwarf racing stunt at the Cranbourne Cup meeting.
 
Mr Hulls said Racing Victoria had backed the wrong horse by staging the event which involved dwarfs being carried on the backs of punters and racing 50 metres down the straight to the winning post.
 
"At a time when the racing industry is striving for that discretionary dollar to get people back to the track, I would not have thought this event does anything to promote (it) as being sophisticated, as being innovative and as being modern," he said.
 
He said Racing Victoria Ltd (RVL) had brushed it off as "just a bit of fun" but with hindsight they would not have run the event which was called the Midget's Cup.
 
RVL general manager for marketing Stuart Laing said the dwarf race was a one-off event intended as "harmless fun".
 
"The people involved in this event were consenting adults and took part of their own free will," Mr Laing said.

Source: smh.com.au